The Fifth Wall

Diek Zweegman exhibition for the TextielMuseum

In the 1960s, Diek Zweegman swapped the traditional wool for cotton in her famous looped carpet that was inspired by a mistake in the weave. At the beginning of the 1990s, she went on to cause furore with her synthetic glitter carpet. The Dutch textile designer, who passed away in 2004, was far ahead of her time. Not only in her designs, but also in her bold statements about her chosen discipline. These formed the basis for ‘The fifth wall’ exhibition at the TextielMuseum. The focus on her personality brought the carpets to life. Strong, surprising or disarming statements by Zweegman were emblazoned on the walls, revealing her outspoken tone: “Personally I don’t really like carpets, I prefer hard flooring: if your cat throws up, then it’s easy to clean.”